I have been selling services and products in the pet industry for 28 years and have studied hundreds of sales techniques and researched many sales gurus along the way. A common adage in sales is a concept called “Find Their Pain.” That is, ask questions of your potential customers to determine what “pains” (dislikes, undesirables, imperfections, problems) they have in order to determine which products or services you may offer them to remedy their situation.

For instance, a pet parent may say, “My dog keeps wandering off and often leaves my yard.” The “pain” here is the customer is left with the notion of having to search for their lost pet and in some cases, may never find them—or worse, the pet could get injured or killed outside the boundaries and safety of their own yard. The sales response to their “pain” would be to suggest a form of containment to keep the pet from leaving by pointing out that the product you offer will either tether the pet to a fixed point or create a boundary the pet cannot cross.

Another example could be the pet parent who says, “My pet is destructive when left alone.” The “pain” is the damage caused by and costs associated with this behavior or the possibility of the pet ingesting something that may hurt them. If the pet parent is at their wit’s end, it may result in the pet being adopted out to another family or, in some severe cases, given up to a shelter. Your solution to their “pain” may be a suggestion of a crate, kennel, or a toy that occupies their time. Some may even purchase cameras to catch the little culprit in the act.

The list of “pains” could go on and on. You are probably familiar with many more scenarios than I have listed. However, I challenge you to shift your focus from “find their pain” to “find their pleasure.” I wish I could take credit for this approach, but I cannot. I recently read an article by Jeffrey Gitomer called, “A New Way to Look at Questions and Engagement: Emotionally.” In this article, Jeffrey points out what I believe to be a better way of getting the customer what they want or need—not just a solution to a problem but a sense of deeper emotional satisfaction that is beyond the utility of just a solution to the problem.

Using this new approach, let’s look at another scenario. A pet parent needs to travel and leave their pet for a few days. This can be very traumatic for some; many simply don’t love the idea but understand it is sometimes necessary. The “pain” is the regret of leaving the pet and could easily be solved by offering solutions such as a safe temporary boarding situation or a visit or two a day by a pet sitter. Does this find the pet parent’s “pleasure”? Nope. How about you give the pet parent reasons to feel comfortable separating from their pet (notice I didn’t say leaving) temporarily while the pet goes on a retreat to the resort and enjoys deluxe accommodations, a day at the spa, and maybe even some exercise playing with their pet friends? Does this find the “pleasure”? Yep. While your offer to provide care for the pet probably was the same either way, changing your approach evokes a different emotion, one of “I wonder what fun Fido is having today” instead of “I hope Fido is okay.” See the difference?

Gitomer goes on to point out that asking the correct questions drives the conversation down the path to identifying these pleasure points. Some sample questions in our industry may include the following:

What activities does Fido enjoy?

What are Fido’s sleeping habits? Where does he sleep? Does he like to snuggle or stretch out?

Do you want him to look his very best when you see each other again?

The information you find out will help you recommend which activity programs he would most enjoy, what size room he should reside in, and if he needs an appointment in your grooming salon on check-out day. Doesn’t this all sound better than, “Do you want him to have a playtime? What type of kennel do you want him to have? Do you want him to have a bath before he leaves?”

Communication is key. Proper communication and attention to detail will yield the best results. However, many of us do not realize the opportunities we are missing because we are not aware of the correct questions to ask to put us in the most ideal position to seize those opportunities. This is bigger than just the sale. This is about strengthening a relationship with your customers. After all, I have said it before and will say it again: we are not in the pet business. We are in the peace of mind business.

Find the pleasure!

Joe Zuccarello has excelled in the pet industry since 1986 and is a pet industry consultant and National Accounts Sales Manager for Tropiclean Shampoo and Fresh Breath Made Easy! Dental products for dogs and cats. To find out more about Tropiclean Shampoos and Tropiclean Fresh Breath Made Easy! dental products, please visit www.tropiclean.net or call 800-542-7387.

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